When consumers were asked whether they would rather receive a tablet computer or a laptop as a holiday gift this year, 79 percent indicate that they would rather receive a tablet, according to a shopping survey of 3,574 U.S. online shopping customers conducted by PriceGrabber. Seventy-two percent of shoppers also indicate that they believe tablet computers will replace e-readers as gifts this year.
When those who indicate a preference for tablets over laptops were asked to select all of the reasons why, portability and light weight appear to be dominating factors. Eighty-five percent of these shoppers say they prefer tablets because they are easy to carry and transport, 73 percent prefer the tablet's light weight, 67 percent cite convenience and another 67 percent enjoy the touchscreen. Sixty percent prefer the tablet's smaller size, 56 percent say that they can use the tablet for reading on the go, 49 percent cite speed, 42 percent like its multimedia features that are similar to a smartphone and 41 percent cite an exceptional battery life.
When consumers were asked which tablet they would prefer to receive as a gift this year, an astounding 83 percent say they preferred the Apple iPad or iPad 2. This was followed by only 5 percent who say the Amazon Kindle Fire, 4 percent who say the Samsung Galaxy Tab and 2 percent who say the HP TouchPad. Other tablets, such as the Motorola Xoom, the BlackBerry PlayBook, the Toshiba Thrive (which I own and is really great), the ASUS Eee Pad and ASUS Eee Slate, ranked lower. The iPad was also the No. 1 e-reader, with 62 percent of consumers preferring it to other e-readers. Twenty-seven percent indicate a preference for the Amazon Kindle, 7 percent say the Barnes & Noble Nook, 2 percent say the Sony e-Reader and another 2 percent select other brands.
"Apple has experienced enormous success with its groundbreaking iPad, and our survey data confirms that enthusiasm for the brand will likely remain during the 2011 holiday shopping season," said Graham Jones, general manager of PriceGrabber. "We expect that tablets, such as the iPad, will be a clear gift choice for many multitasking, budget-conscious consumers looking for an efficient and convenient computer at a relatively reasonable price."
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